# Can I go darker with semi-permanent over highlights?



## Arielle123

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, I did a search and couldn't find anything that asked this specific question... I know nothing about hair and would love somebody who has such knowledge to help me out






So I have naturally dark blond hair and got highlights a couple months ago. I've used clairol natural instincts semi permanent hair color in the past to go brunette with great results. I used a darker color than I was 'supposed' to and got a great brunette color that lasted longer than the 28 washes just lightened gradually but lasted longer because I went darker than I should've according to the box.

I'd love to do that again but I'm wondering what happens if you use a dark(ish) semi-permanent color over blond highlights? Will that totally mess things up or would I get the brunette that I'm looking for?

Thanks for any help you can give me and sorry for the long winded question!


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## Aprill

Yes, of course eventually the semi will wash out but yeah you can do that! usuallly ends up prettier than the original highlights!


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## Arielle123

Even though now my hair is several different shades of blond? Some of it quite light? I wasn't sure if the brunette semi-perm would grab more to the highlighted hair or something like that, since I'm going to be going quite a bit darker than I am now.


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## katnahat

I just colored my hair. I went back to my natural color. My hair was heavily highlighted blond. I did a test with permanent light brown (it is actually a dark color) on one strip of hair and it didn't turn at all. I got the darkest brown and it worked. It even matched my natural color.

I did it about two weeks ago. It has already lightened up a LOT. It's still very brown but no where near as dark as it was. So, if your hair is very light it will take a dark color to get it to grab. Semi-permanent or permanent is going to fade. Permanent, of course, less and much slower. I would say my brown has lightened by about 5 shades in a little more than two weeks. I used Preference by Loreal #4 Dark Brown.


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## Arielle123

Originally Posted by *katnahat* /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just colored my hair. I went back to my natural color. My hair was heavily highlighted blond. I did a test with permanent light brown (it is actually a dark color) on one strip of hair and it didn't turn at all. I got the darkest brown and it worked. It even matched my natural color. 
I did it about two weeks ago. It has already lightened up a LOT. It's still very brown but no where near as dark as it was. So, if your hair is very light it will take a dark color to get it to grab. Semi-permanent or permanent is going to fade. Permanent, of course, less and much slower. I would say my brown has lightened by about 5 shades in a little more than two weeks. I used Preference by Loreal #4 Dark Brown.

Thank you so much! I'm not up for the maintenance of perm. color but wanted to make sure that semi-perm. would still be ok. So i guess they're both ok on light hair the only difference is the fading and amount of time that it'll last. Which would be ok with me (if it doesn't last a super long time).


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## HairEgo

Placing a dark semi over a blonde highlight, you will never go back to the original shade of blonde you had before you put the semi on it. It will always have a different hue to it. However, semi's are a fab way to test out a new look before making the commitment!


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## Claire Sparks

hi I would just like to say, I always had highlighted hair and one day decided I wanted to retern to brunette, I decided to use a semi permenent colour and with dissasterous results!! I ended up with black hair where the Highlights was, and brown roots Omg it was awefull, so be carefull. In the end I  had to re- bleach my hair then re colour with a permenent colour,  quite damaging wished I had used permenent to start with.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## Veena

I think you can because the semi would wash out eventually! You will look gorgeous with that combination!! Hope it works out!


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